Saskatchewan Parliamentarians Show Support for Protesting Truckers in Ottawa

Trucks are parked near Parliament Hill in Ottawa as demonstrators continue to protest COVID-19 mandates and restrictions on Feb. 2, 2022. Jonathan Ren/The Epoch Times

A group of parliamentarians from Saskatchewan attended the “Freedom Convoy” protest in downtown Ottawa on Feb. 2 to show support for the truckers who’ve been protesting in the nation’s capital to demand the repeal of restrictive pandemic measures.

“A few of our SK Caucus members went to show our appreciation for the hardworking, patriotic truckers who have kept our supply chains healthy & grocery shelves stocked for the past two years,” MP Kevin Waugh of the Saskatoon-Grasswood riding wrote on Twitter.

“It’s great to see Canadians championing freedom on Parliament Hill.”

Waugh attached two pictures to his post in which he is holding a Saskatchewan flag tied to a truck. In one of the pictures, he is accompanied by Sen. Denise Batters and MPs Warren Steinley, Andrew Scheer, Fraser Tolmie, and Rosemarie Falk.

Saskatchewan has 14 seats in the House of Commons, all of which are held by Conservatives.

Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson responded to Waugh in a tweet, saying praising the truckers was an “absolute disgrace,” citing the pressures caused by the protest on local residents.

The protest organizers issued a press release on Feb. 2 to address residents’ concerns, but they also said they would stay as long as it takes.

“Our message to the citizens of Ottawa is one of empathy. We understand your frustration and genuinely wish there was another way for us to get our message across, but the responsibility for your inconvenience lies squarely on the shoulders of politicians who have [preferred] to vilify and call us names rather than engage in respectful, serious dialogue,” said organizer Chris Barber.

“The fastest way to get us out of the nation’s Capital, is to call your elected representatives and end all C-19 mandates, as the UK did two weeks ago and as both Sweden and Switzerland did today.”

The protest, which started as a cross-country convoy before reaching the capital on Jan. 29, was triggered by a vaccine mandate introduced on Jan. 15 for truckers who cross the Canada-U.S. border. The protest has since attracted supporters in Canada and around the world who want to see an end to pandemic restrictions.

Ottawa Police reported three arrests in relation to the protest this week, without providing details on the exact circumstances. Police have also started to be more aggressive in enforcing city bylaws, announcing 30 tickets were issued on Feb. 2 for infractions including honking and transporting fuel cans insecurely.

After tens of thousands attended the protests over the last weekend, the numbers have dwindled during the weekdays but organizers expect numbers to swell again this coming weekend.

“We are here and we are not going anywhere until we achieve our objective, to see an end of all C-19 mandates and with that a restoration of freedoms of all Canadians,” said organizers in the statement.